‘Don’t lie to me,’ I said. ‘If it can wait a bit longer, tell me. I don’t want to leave Grim behind.’

‘If I had not believed it best that you leave immediately, I would not have demanded that. If you delay, you allow greater opportunity for someone to notice that you are travelling and to wonder where. For someone to decide he will prevent you from reaching your destination. And there would be no allowance whatsoever for problems on the way, ordinary problems such as a horse going lame or a sudden storm. I explained this before.’

‘I know. And I recall you mentioning an allowance of that nature. How much allowance, exactly?’

‘Mistress Blackthorn, if every leader let his team change the rules of the mission as the mood took them, nobody would ever accomplish anything.’

‘Please.’ It hurt to get that out. I failed to sound at all conciliatory. ‘This discussion is wasting valuable time. As no doubt you’re aware.’

‘We might wait until later in the morning, yes. If you did not leave by midday you would be unlikely to reach the place in time. We want you there, Mistress Blackthorn.’

And I wanted to be there. I wanted it so much that if I had to leave without Grim, I would. Grim would want me to go. I was quite sure of that. ‘Grim would be a useful addition to my escort,’ I said. It was a good argument. ‘He’s . . . a man of formidable presence.’

Ségán surprised me by smiling. ‘I have heard as much. Very well, you may wait for him. But I want you away before midday whether he’s here or not. And I want you packed and over at the cottage as soon as you can be. Best if you wait there. Don’t offer any explanations, just go. One of the men will walk over with you and carry your bag.’

‘If it’s to be such a small bag, I expect I can manage it myself. Anything else really would draw attention. Thank you, Ségán. I’ll go and pack now.’

What did a person pack to face her worst fears? To confront her vilest enemy? To stand up before the man who had burned her loved ones alive, robbed her of her faith in humankind and in the gods, treated her like dirt beneath his boot sole? If I could have packed courage, tenacity, belief in myself, I would have done. As it was, I took one change of clothing, a handkerchief, a water skin, a small selection of dried herbs in sealed packets, and a handful of coppers in a draw-string bag. I put in the little wooden hedgehog. I added a comb. Best that I did not face Mathuin looking like the dishevelled wreck I had become in his lockup. Gods, I could hardly believe this was happening.